Long drive but short work for Pirates

RAMONA  With a wreck on eastbound Highway 78, it took the Oceanside High football team two hours to travel the 50 miles from the coast to the mountains of Ramona, arriving just 60 minutes before kickoff.

After the long trip, the last thing anyone on the Pirates’ bus thought was that the entire second half would be shortened with a running clock.

But that’s exactly what happened Friday night as the No. 4-ranked Pirates struck early with big plays to beat No. 6 Ramona 42-0 in a nonleague game.

“That was Oceanside football at its best,” said Pirates coach John Carroll.

Oceanside led 35-0 at the half with Mikah Holder scoring three times — two on passes of 61 and 42 yards and another on a 15-yard run.

Thai Cottrell made it 28-0 on an 8-yard run and Nikko Mageo, who threw the 61-yard halfback pass to Holder, finished a 45-yard drive just before the half with a 1-yard TD run.

“This was a statement game,” Mikah Holder said. “Ramona was unbeaten, but we’re still Oceanside. Ramona is a good team, very physical, but we played lights out tonight.”

Ramona (7-1) had first-half drives stopped on interceptions by Jace Whittaker and Josh Bernard. TK Dodds and Malavai Taylor had second-half interceptions for the Pirates.

The Oceanside (6-2) defense had 13 plays of zero or minus yards — 12 of those in the first half.

Rafael Sangines had three quarterback sacks for the Pirates while Jalene Golston, Tommy Woo and Isaiah Harris added one each.

“We played great on offense and defense,” Carroll said. “We have a lot to be proud of.